in which emma is awkward but still gets a date
by deathofamockingbird
Summary: Emma Swan is a stunt actress with a crush on a make up artist, Regina Mills. Written for Day 1 of SwanQueen Week.


Day 1, February 4th is **Behind the Scene** ; what happens when cameras aren't rolling? In which Emma and Regina are involved in the Film Industry but are not necessarily actress. (i.e: writers, directors, dialect/stunts coach, animation designers etc).

* * *

Emma shook out her tense muscles as she finished her last scene of the day. As a stunt double, her hours could be long, and they were always laborious, leaving her tired and sore at the day's end. Today she'd been doubling for a female spy lead, which of course meant there was mostly heavily choreographed fight scenes that involved her being thrown through walls for three hours. As much as she loved her job, she was more than ready for a hot bath and her bed.

"Hey Emma!"

Ruby- a fellow stunt actress on the same scene and her best friend- came jogging towards her, a wide grin on her face. Recognizing the the mischievous expression on her the other woman's face, Emma rolled her eyes, continuing towards the locker room off set.

"What do you want, Red?" She asked with a sigh, tiredly running a hand through her hair.

"Come on, that's no way to greet your favorite coworker after a long day." Red replied teasingly.

Rolling her eyes again- something that felt like second nature whenever she dealt with the excitable brunette- Emma didn't reply, instead speeding up a bit. She loved Ruby, really, but she just needed a hot bath and a glass of wine, and whatever her best friend was going to try to cajole her into doing probably wasn't that.

"Hey, hold on. Come on, Em, just wait a minute. I have a present for you!"

That got the blonde's attention and she paused, slowly turning with her arms crossed, "Somehow I feel like it's more like a present for you."

Ruby didn't look the least apologetic as she clutched her heart dramatically, "Ouch. You wound me Emma. Now I'm not so sure I want to give you a present at all." As Emma tapped her foot impatiently, she continued on. "However, things have already been put into motion, so it's too late."

"Get to the point, Lucas."

"It's a blind date."

Throwing her hands up in frustration, Emma shook her head, "Absolutely not." The last blind date she'd been on ended up with her date leaving with her ex girlfriend. Though it hadn't been set up by Ruby, she wasn't going to take that chance again. While she hadn't thought it an especially good match, it was a massive waste of time, not to mention thoroughly embarrassing.

Hurrying after her friend, Red moved around in front of her holding her hands up in surrender. "Emma, please. You need a night out, and the person you're supposed to be meeting will be disappointed if you don't show."

"I doubt that."

"Emma, have I ever steered you wrong about something like this?" Reluctantly, the blonde shook her head. If nothing else, Red had always been a good judge of character and she knew her friend only had her best interests in mind. "Look, it'll ruin the surprise a little, but I know for a fact she likes you too." She paused, "We just want to see you both happy."

Raising an eyebrow, Emma frowned slightly, "We?"

Ruby blanched slightly, giving away more than she intended. Before she could say anything else, a sloppy attempt to misdirect her, no doubt, a commotion further down the hall caught their attention.

"Mal, I know you mean well, and you just want me to stop being, quote 'sad and miserable' unquote, but I don't do blind dates and you know it."

Emma's heart started pounding as her eyes found the source of the voice, a face she recognized- and secretly admired for months- coming into view. Her eyes darted from Regina to Ruby's guilty expression and back, her mind quickly putting the clues together.

"You didn't."

"Oh come on, Emma. You've had a thing for Regina for ages. You're a stunt woman, she's a makeup artist. It's cute. Why not now? I mean, at least you've met her this time, instead of just staring at her from a different sound stage."

Flushing, Emma spoke in a harsh whisper, glancing back to make sure that the other pair of women had yet to look over. "First off, when you say it like that, it sounds creepy. And second, I've been working up to asking her out. I don't need you and your 'buddy' getting involved."

Ruby rolled her eyes before speaking, using her friend's words with a wry smile. "First off, when exactly were you going to ask her out? You've seen her every day this week for makeup, and you've barely said two words to her. And second, I heard the air quotes, and I'll have you know that I have no problem with saying that Mal is my fuck buddy. You're the prude around here, not me."

Emma bristled, but before she could say anything, the loud clack of heels on cement caught both of their attention. The blonde barely had time to turn before Regina was standing in front of her, her face red, but determined, her hands fidgeting by her sides.

"Would you accompany me on a date tonight?"

Jaw dropping, Emma was so shocked she could barely think. Of all of the possible scenarios she'd imagined concerning going on a date with the beautiful brunette, none of them had ever included this. After several moments of awkward silence, Ruby nudged her hard in the ribs, bringing her back to the present.

"I- uh-"

Regina visibly deflated, taking an awkward step back, nearly bumping into Mal, who had appeared behind her and was watching the exchange with narrowed eyes. Emma took in the other woman, whose hands balled into loose fists to hide their tremor and jaw clenched, gaze directed to the floor as Regina spoke again, her voice shaking slightly.

"I see. I'm sorry, I must have misunderstood-"

Before Regina could continue, Emma finally found her voice, "No!"

Silence fell on the four of them at the abruptness of her shout, as the blonde attempted to vocalize her thoughts. "No, I you didn't misunderstand anything." Swallowing thickly Emma stepped forward, taking Regina's hands in her own. "I'm sorry, I was just surprised. I didn't think you'd even noticed me, nevertheless might be interested in a date. Which I would like very much to accompany you on. I mean, if you still wanted to?"

Immediately, Regina's features seemed to soften as a dazzling smile took over her face, and Emma practically swooned at the sight. Absently she could hear Ruby laughing at her, but in that moment, she couldn't focus on anything other than the elation she was feeling.

"I'll text you the details later? I'd like to get home and change into something more suitable for a first date."

Emma nodded, missing the feeling of the other woman's hands in her own as Regina walked away with Mal, saying something about canceling whatever blind date the other woman had planned. Just before she turned the corner, she glanced back at Emma with a smile, before disappearing from view.

"Hello? Emma?" A hand snapped in front of her, bringing Emma back into focus.

Blinking twice, she turned away from the now empty hallway. "What?"

Ruby gave a toothy grin, before pretending to look at her nails disinterestedly. "Does she even have your number?"

"Oh fuck!" Emma felt a spike of panic shoot through her as she started feeling around for pockets she didn't have to find her phone, before remembering it was in her gym bag.

Before she could do much more than throw it to the floor, Red stopped her with a hand on her shoulder and a boisterous laugh. "I was just messing with you, Em. I texted your contact information to Mal, who I have no doubt will pass it on for you."

"You suck." Emma said petulantly, shoving the other woman playfully as she swung her bag over her shoulder again and the pair began making their way towards the locker room again.

"Um, rude. I did just get you a date with the woman of your dreams, didn't I?"

Rolling her eyes, Emma shook her head, "You're an absolute menace, Ruby Lucas."

"I am, but you love it. Now, we have to get back to your house to pick out your outfit. As much as I'm sure Regina liked your hot and sweaty look, that's more a third date look." The other woman commented, picking lightly at the tank top and leggings that Emma had worn under the costume for her scenes.

As Ruby rambled on about dresses and shoes, inserting no small number of innuendos, Emma just smiled, excited for her upcoming date, her mind filled with the image of Regina's absolutely radiant smile.


End file.
